West Indies beat Sri Lanka by 33 runs

West Indies have defeated Sri Lanka by 33 runs in the Indian Oil Cup tri-series cricket one-day international at Colombo today.

Reported by Indo-Asian News Service

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Colombo:

West Indies have defeated Sri Lanka by 33 runs in the Indian Oil Cup tri-series cricket one-day international at Colombo today.
Electing to bat, West Indies put up 226 for the loss of 7 wickets in their allotted 50 overs, powered by half-centuries from skipper Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Sylvester Joseph.
The second string Caribbean side came up with their best display of the series in their penultimate league match. Omari Banks, who took two wickets for 24 apart from contributing 33 runs, has been declared the Man of the Match.
Chasing 227 for victory, the hosts kept losing wickets at regular intervals, and were eventually bowled out for 193 with three overs to spare.
After the top order collapsed, the rest of the Lankan batsmen disappointed, though Russel Arnold top scored with a spirited 59.
Well-paced innings
Chanderpaul, opening the innings, provided that solidity to the top order which had been missing in the previous matches with a brisk 57 that contained eight fours and came from 79 balls.
Joseph followed the captain's example with a well-paced 58 off 92 balls and added 72 runs for the second wicket to lay the foundation for a big score.
But both Chanderpaul and Joseph fell to some unimaginative cricket after notching up a good score.
The left-handed Chanderpual chose to drive at a widish delivery from leg spinner Upul Chandana and ended up with an outside edge to short third man while Joseph was needlessly run out.
The team, without many of the senior players who were locked in a battle with their cricket board over a contract dispute, began to lose its direction after the fall of Joseph.
Omari Banks (33) came up with a valuable cameo knock towards the end to push the total past 200-mark.
Teams:Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (Captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumara Sangakkara, Upul Tharanga, Tilakratne Dilshan, Russel Arnold, Upul Chandana, Muthiah Muralitharan, Farvez Mahroof, Nuwan Zoysa and Dilhara Fernando.
West Indies: Shivnaraine Chanderpaul (captain), Xavier Marshall, Sylvester Joseph, Dinesh Ramdin, Narsingh Deonariane, Dwayne Smith, Ricardo Powell, Darren Powell, Tino Best, Deighton Butler and Omari Banks. (PTI)